Railway signal apparatus



Jul 20 Q1926 1,593,098

W. E. PARK RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS Filed April 15, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A 11* A A J Fig. 1

William 6? park 61cm we Q July 20 1926. 1,593,098 W. E. PARK RAILWAY SIGNAL APPARATUS Filed April 151 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 William 6. Park Patented July 20, i926.

urrsn STATES PAT I 1,593,098 ENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. IPAItiK, OF SEBASTOPOL, CALIFORNIA.

narnwa'r arena-I. arrnna'rus.

Application tied April 15, 1925. Serial No. 23,386.

My invention relates to electric railroad crossing signals, and in particular to an electric signal which is operated intermittently in the vicinity of a highway crossing upon the approach of an electric trolley .gether w ith means comprising circuits and a relay for operating said signal. upon the closure of certain of saidcontacts.

A further object is to provide a crossing signal which is comparatively simple in construction, reliable in operation, and eifective as an alarm.

Other objects will appear from the detailed description of the invention which follows. l 2

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a wiring diagram of the various elements. of the signal syst em and the relation of the parts at the instant that the trolley wheel passes a contact corresponding to a position of silence of the relay. Y Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the. positionof these same parts at the instant the trolley wheel passes under the next succeeding contact and wherein the relay has moved to a position to operate the signal. v

Fig. 3 shows a modified wiring diagram wherein a storage battery or separate source of electric energy is used to operate the relay and signal.

Fig. 4 shows, in schematic form, the relative positions of relay and signal devices and the related circuits when direct current from the trolley is used to operate these parts.

Fig. 5 is a similar view corresponding to the modification. of Fig. 3, showing the wiring of signal devices when the same are operated from a separate source of alternating current or battery current supply.

. Fig. 6 is a view of my improved relay,

and

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of contacts adapted to be used with the circuits ojiFigs. 3 and 1, respectively.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A to A indicate a plurality of contact devices or trips mounted above and close to a trolley wire T, the lower or middle contact of each trip being connected in direct electrical contact with the trolley wire T. A feeder L" is connected to alternate trips A -A -A and a second feeder L is connected to the remaining trips A A etc. Relay R is shown in Fig. 1, and on a larger scale in Fig. 6, and comprises a left-hand pair of solenoids and plungers 8 -55 wired in parallel, and a right-hand pair of solenoids S S*, also in parallel. The plungers ape connected as shown to a cross bar of nonconducting material, each end of which carrice 2. contact shoe O-O the upper shoe 0 when moved to the right bridging plates 4 and 5,and plate at is grounded at G. The lower shoe 0 in i S left-hand position nected to p ate 1 through solenoids S S* in parallel, by wires 10, 11. A lighted crossing sign X and pilot lamp L are arranged at each side of the highway, and a siren H, operated by motor M, is placed adjacent the crossing, and this series of signals is con- .nected permanently in parallel and to the trolley wire on one side by wire 12, and on the other side to plate 5 by wire 13. Fuses f are shown in the relay and signal circuits.

In Fig. 1, while the trolley wheel W has just operated trip A no current will flow from trolley wire T through this trip and feeder L because the circuit to ground G through wires 7 and 8 is open at plate 3. The signals, therefore, will remain silent while trolley wheel W travels from A to A. l/Vhen, however, as shown in Fig. 2, trip A is operated, feeder L is energized bridges plates 1 and 2, and when moved to I from the trolley wire T, and current flows through. the signals, as follows: wire 12, signals X, L, M, wire 13, plates 4, 5 and shoe 0 to ground G. The signals operate during the period it requires trolley wheel W to pass from trip A to AP. lYhen the latter trip is operated by the trolley wheel, feeder side.

L is energized from the. trolley wire, and circuit is made through wire 14, feeder L wire 7, solenoids S -S wire 8, plates 2, 3 and shoe 0 to round G, and the plungers are again puller? to the left-hand position, which breaks the signal circuit at plate 5. This sequence of operation is repeated as trips A A are operated to produce an intermittent series of signals, each of a definite duration.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, substantially the same system is employed. with the exception that a third feeder L is used, which feeder is constantly energized by storage battery B. Trips A to A are shown with two upper contacts 32 adapted to be bridged by a lower contact 27, when a trolley wheel W pushes any rod 26 upwardly. Trips A to A etc. alternately connect feeder L to feeders L and L and current will flow from the battery to one or the other of the" latter two through the corresponding pair of solenoids, and back to the battery through wire 20.

In Fig. 3, just as in Fig. 1, no current is flowing through trip A since the'current from L through the trip contacts, feeder L and wires 7 and 8 is open circuited at plate 3. When however the trolley wheel passes trip A current flows from battery B through wires 15, 18, 19, L 10, and sole noids S -S* to wires 11 and 20 through plates 1 and 2 and back to battery. The solenoids are pulled to the right breaking the mentioned circuit at plate 1 and a circuit is made at plates 4, 5 by shoe 0 and current flows from the battery through the signal devices and wires 22, 23, 20 back to battery.

When the trip A is operated, current will flow from battery to feeder L trip A feeder L and wires 7, 8, then from plates 3 to 2 through shoe 0 and wire 20- back to battery and the plungers will move again to the left to break the signal circuit'at plate ,5.

It is obvious that instead of using D. C.

battery current to operate the signals a separate source of A. C. current could beiused to operate said signals by causing plates 4, 5 and shoe 0 to complete a similar circuit from the A. C. supply and Wires 15, 23 would be connected to said A. C. supply instead of to battery B. The device in Fig. 3 will be used when the trolley voltage is too high for signals.

Fig.4 shows in schematic form a pair .of crosslng signs X-X and pilot lamps LL. I prefer to use a sign 36 inches long and about 6 incheswide with red glass on each ire 12 leads from the trolley wire to an appropriate switch and the current will divide at said switch and pass through fuses y-y to the lights and siren motor M andthen to relay plate 5. In case the line voltage is higher than the motor voltage, a

washes switch lever 8 may be moved upwardly. to insert a resistance r in. series with the motor circuit. 4

Fig. 5 also shows a schematic plan of elements and appropriate wiring employed with a battery or separate A. C. current for operating the signals. Wires 21, 23 lead from a source of A. C. or D. C. current supply through two pole switches to the various signals and the circuits are made and broken at relay plates 45.

Fig. 6 shows in detail the elements of my novel relay as explained above.

Fig. 7 shows in detail a form of trip adapted to be used with the battery circuit in Fig. 3. A hardwood case 25 has mounted therein a rod 26. A plate 27 is mounted on rod 26 and insulated therefrom at 34. Torininals 32 are connected to plates 31. The trip casing may be supported from either a catenary or span supported trolley wire and rod 26 may be connected to the trolley wire by any common form of trolley ear.

Fig. 8 shows a form of trip adapted for use in connection with the device of F 1. A metallic rod 26' is connected to the trolley wire and is moved upwardly thereby so as to cause plates 27 and 29 to contact. Metal. caps 28, 28 are; adjustably mounted on the trip casings and set screws 33 are used to hold said caps in any desired position.

I claim:

1. In a railway crossing signal system, an electrical signal device, a trolley wire, a

plurality of contact devices adjacent said trolley wire adapted to be successively operated by a trolley wheel, a double throw relay, circuits associated with said contacts and relay adapted to be alternately encrgized a plurality of times upon the successive operation of said contacts, contacts on said relay adapted to be operated by successive throws of said relay in one direction and a circuit including said signal dcvice adapted to be intern'iittently energized upon successive closures of said last named contacts.

2. In a railway crossing signal system including a trolley wire, a plurality of con tactors adjacent said trolley wire adapted to be successively operated by a passing trolley wheel, a double coil relay, a circuit associated with one coil as, said relay and certain of said contactorsfor energizing said coil and a circuit associated with others of said contactors and another coil of said relay for energizing said other coil, said coils adapted to be alternately energized rality of times bythe successive operation of said contactors, contacts on said relay and a signal circuit to be energized by said contacts intermittently to provide a series of alarms.

3. In a railway crossing signal system including a trolley wire, a series of contacts,

a piuits essees adjacent said Wire adapted to be successively closed by a passing; trolley wheel, a relay and signal devices controlled thereby, circuits associated with said relay and signal devices respectively, said relay circuit including z'iltcrnate ones of said contacijors, a plunger on said relay and movable interinitiiently iii the same direction a plurality of times upon the energization of said relay by the closure of said alternate contactors, contacts operated by said plunger, said contacts being in series with said signal circuit whereby the later is energized intermittently e. plurality of times to yerovide a series of alarms.

4-. in a. railway crossing signal system including a trolley wire, a series of contnctors adjacent said trclley 'WlIQ, a relay in circitiit with said contactors and. operable intently 'zliiirulity times by the succe sue ClOSllYui 1)). said contactors by a passtifolley wheel, a contact adapted to be closed by successive movements of said relay in one direction and a signal device in circuit with said contact operable intermittently a series of times upon the successive closures thereof by said relay.

5. In an electric railway crossing signal system a signal circuit a trolley wire, a series of contactors adjacent said Wire 0perable successively by the passage of a trolley Wheel, a double coil relay,.a plurality of circuits including certain ones of said contacts and one coil of said relay and a plurality of circuits alternating with said first mentioned plural circuits and common to another coil of said rela ,said circuits be ing alternately energize by the successive closures of said contaccors to operate said relay a plurality 01. times each Way alternately, and contacts closable by successive throws of said relay in one direction to energize said signal circuit to provide an intermitted alarm.

In. testimony wlierecft l; have affixed my signature.

WM/LIAM PARK. 

